Today is a great day. This is the first time Pope Francis has come to the United States; well, let me be about the hundredth person to wish him a great welcome! The Pope is on a 10 day meet and greet to Cuba and the USA.
The Pope left Italy on September 19th. He spends the 19-22 September in Cuba. From 22 – 24 September he is Washington DC. 24 – 26 September will find him in New York City, and finally, from 26 – 27th he will be in Philadelphia.
The Bosslady and friends will try and see a glimpse of him as he speaks to the masses on the 23rd. I wish her and her friends good luck – there will be far too many people for me to enjoy the moment, I really do not do well in crowds; and I’d hate to spoil her special event, so my cat and I will hang out at the hacienda.
This is not the first visit by a Pope to the United States:
- Oct 4, 1965 – Pope Paul VI met with President Johnson in New York City.
- Oct 6, 1979 – Pope John Paul II met with President Jimmy Carter in the White House.
- May 2, 1984 – Pope John Paul II met with Ronald Reagan in Fairbanks, Alaska. The two were on separate trips, the Pope to South Korea, and President Reagan returning from China.
- Sep 10, 1987 – Pope John Paul II again meets with President Reagan; this time in Miami, Florida.
- Aug 12, 1993 – Both President Clinton & Pope John Paul II address students during an address for World Youth Day, in Denver, CO.
- Oct 4, 1995 – President Clinton and Pope John Paul II meet in Newark, NJ.
- Jan 26, 1999 – President Clinton and Pope John Paul II meet in St. Louis, MO.
- April, 2008 – Pope Benedict XVI visits President G.W. Bush in the White House.
- Sept 22, 2015 – Pope Francis visits President Obama in the White House.
Presidents have met with Popes on other occasions, beside the mandatory meeting at the Vatican by every president since Ike. You can click the link above for a more complete history of Papal / US President interactions. I just wanted to highlight the visits of a pope to US soil.
I Like Pope Francis; I think he is a shot in the arm for Catholics all over the world. Let’s face it; some of those religious characters can get pretty full of themselves (and I’m talking all religions here). Pope Francis doesn’t talk down to people – he talks with people. And I think many in the church (pick your own religion here) could take a lesson from him. He will never be able to win over every single person – but I think he is doing a pretty good job. There is a pretty good article by Chris Nye, entitled “Why is the Pope so Popular?” I encourage you to do a Google search for it. Another great read is from the Brown Political Review entitled “The Pope who takes Selfies” which discusses why this Pope is so darned popular. Both articles hint that the pope refuses to be, nor be put, in a religious box. I think he is shaping up to be a leader, not by his words; but by his actions. I like that.
His official biography from the Holy Sea. I think he and Father Tom would get along quite well.
What say you? Have anything good, bad, or indifferent on the Pope’s visit?
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